Solution for reconditioning typewriter ribbons and the like and methods of reconditioning such ribbons



United States Patent This invention relates, as indicated, to a solution for reconditioning typewriter ribbons and the like and to methods of reconditioning such ribbons.

Typewriter ribbons and the like are usually made of ribbons or strips of cotton, silk, nylon or other plastics, or combinations of these, which have been impregnated with special inks, which inks usually consist of a pigment vehicle or body and a pigment or coloring material. The vehicle or body usually consists of a vegetable oil, mineral oil, animal oil, solid or liquid wax, or a combination of two or more of these, and the pigment or coloring material is usually carbon black, a dye, or other color base of very fine particle consistency, the pigment being usually ground into the vehicle or body to provide the mixture which forms the ink.

In use, the typewriter ribbon is struck or pressed by a solid or metallic letter of the typewriter which causes the ribbon to strike or press against the material, such as paper, which is being typed upon, leaving an inked impression on such material.

As the ribbon is used, the solid or metallic letters pound or press the ink out of portions of the ribbon, leaving such portions dc-inked. As these portions of the rib bon are repeatedly struck, the impressions become dull and uneven, difiicult to read, or otherwise unsatisfactory. Consequently, 'as the ink is pounded or pressed out of the ribbon, the ribbon becomes useless, and is usually discarded.

If it is desired to recondition or renew the used ribbon, and make it useful again, it becomes necessary to replace the ink which has been thus depleted.

From observation or" any used typewriter ribbon, it is known that not all of the ink has been pounded or struck out of the ribbon, but only from those parts which were struck or pressed by the solid or metallic letters or type of the typewriter.

Experiments have shown that there is usually enough pigment or coloring matter left in the used ribbon, so that if this pigment or coloring matter is properly redistributed throughout the ribbon, that is to say, put back into the de-inked portions of the ribbon, and new vehicle or body added to replace the vehicle or body lost, that a ribbon thus reconditioned can be used satisfactorily again, for a prolonged period.

For the purpose of accomplishing this redistribution of pigment or coloring matter and vehicle or body, I have developed a solution which consists of a number of ingredients, and which solution, when introduced into the used ribbon, in a manner to be presently described, acts (a) To soften the pigment and old body which remains in the used ribbon,

(b) To loosen the pigment and hold body in the used ribbon,

(c) To add new body to the used ribbon and cause the dispersion of this new body, the old body, and the pigment into each other, whereby the three become a homogeneous mass, forming a new ink for the ribbon, and

(d) To promote capillary action, which acts to carry or draw the aforesaid homogeneous mass or new ink into the dc-inked portions of the ribbon, as well as into all other parts of the used ribbon.

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In order to soften the pigment and old body which remains in the used ribbon, loosen this pigment and body, cause the dispersion of the new body, old body and pig ment into each other, and to promote the capillary action which has been described, I utilize what I term a liquid carrier, which will perform these functions quickly and uniformly, and then evaporate or volatilize completely and immediately, so that it will not continue to dilute the old body, new body, and pigment, not interfere with their properties, individually or as a whole.

As a carrier, I have found it desirable to use one or more fast evaporating or volatilizing agents, selected from the group consisting of:

Hexane l, 1, l-trichlorethane Methylene chloride Carbon tetrachloride Trichlorethylene Benzol Heptane Ethylene dichloride Propylene dichloride Freeon 113 (l,l,Z-trichloro-1,2,2-trifiuoroethane) Naptha; Ietroleum No. 1

Of the aforesaid group, I prefer to use a combination of the first three which are listed.

In order to add new body to the pigment and old body, I utilize, as a part of the aforesaid solution, one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of:

Oleyl alcohol Petrolatum Mineral oil Silicones Oleic acid Castor oil Aerated sperm oil Methylated sperm oil Spermaceti wax Lard oil Lard Neats-foot oil Petroleum oil Corn oil Cottonseed oil Of the aforesaid group of new body ingredients or agents, I prefer to use a combination of methylated sperm oil, oleyl alcohol, spermaceti wax, mineral oil, oleic acid, and silicones.

If and when desired, a minute quantity of a coloring material, as well as a minute quantity of an odor masking material, may be added to the solution.

For practical purposes, the solution will contain "from about to about 90% by volume of the carrier, and from about 10 to about 20% by volume of new body, with about of carrier and about 15% of new body, as optimum or preferred proportions.

In preparing the solution, the carrier agents are mixed together in the desired proportions, and the spermaceti wax (when used) is dissolved in this mixture. The new body ingredients or agents, along with any desired coloring matter and/ or odor masking material, are mixed together and set aside for about thirty minutes and then thoroughly shaken or agitated to insure proper blending. The carrier and new body are then mixed or blended by shaking or agitating, thereby forming the finished solution.

A preferred example of the solution will contain the following 7 ingredients Carrier: Parts by volume Hexane 20 1,l,1trichloreth-ane 30 Methylene chloride 34 Oleic acid 6 Methylated sperm oil 3 Mineral oil (light) 2 Oleyl alcohol 2 Body:

Silicones 1 Spermaceti wax /2 Petrolatum 1 Coloring matter A Odor masking material Total 100 The new body ingredients have one or more functions, as follows:

(a) Oleic acid, spermaceti wax, petrolatum, and methylated sperm oil add substance or body to the imprint.

(b) Mineral oil maintains the body soft for proper imprinting.

(c) Oleic acid andrn'ethylated sperm oil promote prolonged self-healing of the ribbon, that is to say, in addition to the carrier, these tend to draw, by promoting capillary action, the pigment and old and new body mixture to the de-inked portions of the used ribbon, both before and after the carrier has evaporated or volat-ilized.

(d) Methylated sperm oil also acts to promote drying of the ink on the paper or substance which is being typed upon.

(e) The silicones impart abrasion-resisting qualities to the used ribbon and thus prolong the life of the ribbon.

(f) Oleyl alcohol, methylated sperm oil and mineral I oil, cause the new body, the pigment and the old body to blend and become a homogeneous mass or mixture.

The solution, as thus described, may be used in several ways to recondition a used typewriter ribbon.

In one method, the ribbon, while still wound on its spool or core, is dipped or immersed in the solution for about 5 seconds, then swiftly withdrawn and placed on a dry, absorbent surface, such as a blotter, absorbent paper, towel, or newspaper, where it is permitted to remain for an hour or longer, preferably overnight, in order to permit the carrier to completely evaporate or become volatilized, after which the treated ribbon is ready for use.

In another method, which is quicker than the first method, and is the best method, the ribbon, while still wound on its spool or core, is dipped or immersed in the solution for about 5 seconds, then swiftly withdrawn,

and the carrier permitted to evaporate, as in the first method, :but for only 15 minutes, after which the ribbon is unwound from its spool or core and is spilled over onto paper spread on the floor or other flat surface, and

any unevaporated carrier thus permitted to evaporate,

this being usually completed in about 15 minutes. The ribbon can then be rewound on its spool or core and is ready for use.

It is to be understood that various changes may be made in the proportions of ingredients which have been described, in the method of formulation of the solution, and in the methods of utilizing the solution, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A solution for reconditioning typewriter ribbons and the like, said solution containing hexane, 1,1,1-trichlorethane, methylene chloride, oleic acid, methylated sperm oil, mineral oil (light), oleyl alcohol, silicones, sperma-ceti wax, petrolatum, coloring matter and odor masking material.

2. A solution, as defined in claim 1, in which the named ingredients are present in the following approximate proportions by volume:

20 parts Hexane 30 parts 1,1,1-trichloroethane 6 parts Oleic acid 3 parts Methylated sperm oil 2 parts Mineral oil (light) 2 parts Oleyl alcohol 1 part Silicones /2 part Sperrnacet-i wax 1 part Petrolatum 122 part Coloring matter part Odor masking material 3. The method of reconditioning used typewriter ribbons and the like, said method comprising the steps of immersing the used ribbon while still wound on its spool or core, for about 5 seconds in a reconditioning solution consisting of a carrier part and a body part, said carrier part containing *a fast evaporating agent, and said body part including oleic acid and methylated sperm oil to promote capillary action within the ribbon withdrawing the ribbon thus treated from said solution, and permitting the evaporating agent to become evaporated from the ribbon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 895,248 Gallagher Aug. 4, 1908 2,155,653 Graf Apr. 25, 1939 2,344,671 Bertsch Mar. 21, 1944 2,644,766 Levine July 7., 1953 

1. A SOLUTION FOR RECONDITIONING TYPEWRITER RIBBONS AND THE LIKE, SAID SOLUTION CONTAINING HEXANE, 1,1,1-TRICHLORETHANE, METHYLENE CHLORIDE, OLEIC ACID, METHYLATED SPERM OIL, MINERAL OIL (LIGHT), OLEYL ALCOHOL, SILICONES, SPERMACETI WAX, PETROLATUM, COLORING MATTER AND ODOR MASKING MATERIAL. 